1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pitch-mark repair tool to be attached to and carried by a golf club (e.g., a putter) and having a set of earth leveling prongs by which to enable a golfer to easily repair damaged areas of a putting green that are left by a ball striking the putting green during the game of golf. The prongs are surrounded by a detachable cover which includes a recess within which a standard golf ball marking disk is seated so as to be readily available for use by the golfer in marking the position of his golf ball on the green.
2. Background Art
It is common during the game of golf for a golf ball to impact a putting green on a golf course and leave a depression or a pitch-mark in the grass surface of the green. According to the rules of golf, the golfer is required to repair the grass surface of the green if his or her ball created the pitch mark.
One approach for successfully repairing the putting green in which a pitch-mark is made uses a tee or a “divot tool” to pry up the grass sod from the green in an effort to even out the surface. This requires the golfer to kneel down or bend over to attempt the repair. However, such divot tools are known to pull out the grass roots so that a bare or uneven spot is left on the surface of the green. In this same regard, golfers may not be inclined to kneel down and spend time necessary to repair the damaged area. Consequently, the pitch-marks are frequently not repaired which may leave a putting green covered with a variety of unsightly bare and/or brown spots that, in some instances, create an uneven putting surface that could adversely affect play.
An example of a repair tool by which to repair pitch-mark areas in a putting green caused by balls striking the green is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,356 issued 12 Jun. 2001. This patented tool is attached to one end of the shaft of a putter. However, in order to install the patented tool, the hand grip which covers the shaft must first be cut open and the end of the shaft removed to accommodate a complex fastener system for holding the tool inside the shaft. Therefore, the grip and the shaft will be in need of repair should the patented tool be removed from the putter.
It would therefore be desirable to have available an easy to use pitch-mark repair tool to be attached to and carried by a golf club without having to alter or damage the original club.